Three Conditions

After dinner, Xiao Ran sat in the courtyard and told Guxin Hall what he had learned during his three months here.

Guxin Hall had held nothing back, telling Xiao Ran everything he knew.

Xiao Ran had already figured out most of it. This so-called Ghost Capital of Chang'an was a place where people appeared by day and ghosts by night. Once a month came the day of Great Avoidance, when people and ghosts became indistinguishable.

That was the most dangerous day, but if one could figure out the rules, it was easy enough to deal with.

The rest of the information was of little use to Xiao Ran. Seeing that it was about time, he got up to take his leave.

Guxin Hall naturally walked him partway. Night deepened, and the city's lamplight spread through the drifting mist, hazy and blurred, like warm yellow ink bleeding across oiled rice paper.

Xiao Ran walked beside Guxin Hall, their footsteps ringing crisply on the wet flagstones. Two shadows, stretched and warped by the dim lamplight, followed silently behind them.

Several times along the way, Xiao Ran seemed about to speak. His throat bobbed, but the words caught at his lips and never came out. In the end, he swallowed them back, choosing not to pierce that seemingly fragile yet remarkably resilient veil.

Waking someone from a deep sleep, especially when they were having a lovely dream, was bound to provoke instinctive resistance and anger, no matter how well-intentioned the interruption. That was what people called being "cranky when woken up."

"The Imperial Examination in three months," Xiao Ran said as they reached the street corner. He stopped and glanced sideways at Guxin Hall. "Are you planning to take it?"

At that, a clear flicker of hesitation crossed Guxin Hall's face. After a